3 Lindsay teens arrested in school shooting threat; one had a gun

lindsay – Three Lindsay teenagers were arrested earlier this month for making threats to shoot up a school on social media. And at least one of them had a stolen gun in their room.

At 7:24 p.m. on Feb. 4, a 14-year-old juvenile reported that a classmate had made threats to shoot up a school via social media. Officers responded to the 14-year-old suspect’s residence and made contact with the male juvenile. Upon further investigation officers located a Davis .380 semi-automatic handgun in the juvenile’s room, which had been stolen from a family member.

The juvenile was arrested and transported to the police department.

Officers then determined that two additional subjects had been involved with making threats to shoot up the school. Officers contacted the additional two suspects at two confidential residences within Lindsay and took them into custody. All three subjects were later booked at the Juvenile Hall Facility. One of the subjects was medically cleared at KDMC prior to booking, due to a pre-existing illness.

Lindsay Police Log

Friday, Feb. 3

At 1:05 a.m. near Valencia and Harvard, officers responded to a non-injury traffic accident involving a vehicle striking a parked big rig. The reporting party advised that a white Chevrolet pickup struck his parked big rig on Valencia. The vehicle was also found to have struck another subject with the passenger side mirror, causing minor injury. The suspect vehicle, a 2000 GMC Sierra, bearing California license #6J09362, fled the scene eastbound on Valencia. Officers later located the vehicle in the 100 block Linda Vista. The driver, 36-year-old Zachary John Pope of Lindsay, was found to be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage and was identified by the victim. Pope was placed under arrest and later blew a .18% blood-alcohol content. Pope was later booked at Visalia Pretrial Facility.

At 2:28 a.m. in the 300 block of N. Ashland, a female subject called 911 and stated that a male subject had his hands around her throat. The caller then disconnected before dispatch could obtain additional information. Upon arrival, officers contacted family members at the residence who stated there was not an altercation and that no one had called the police. Officers conducted a safety check of the residence and located 30-year-old Alex Ramirez Orosco of Lindsay who was hiding in the closet of the spare bedroom. Orosco was breathing heavily and was sweating profusely. Officers checked the rest of the apartment but were unable to locate the female. Officers attempted to contact the female at the initial phone number, but met with negative results. Orosco was found to be under the influence of a controlled substance and placed under arrest and later released on a signed promise to appear.

Monday, Feb. 6

At 9:25 a.m. in the 800 block of W. Tulare Rd., officers responded to a hit and run traffic accident. The victim stated that sometime during the night an unknown subject drove a vehicle through his fence causing moderate damage.

Sheriff’s Log

Sunday, Feb. 12

At 3:05 p.m. in the 20700 block of Road 168 in Strathmore, deputies responded to a burglary. Sometime between 5 p.m. on Feb. 9 and 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 12 unknown suspects made forced entry into a victim’s residence and stole $1,350 worth of items.

Anyone with more information regarding this investigation is urged to contact the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at 1-800-808-0488 or anonymously at tcso@tipnow.com or by text or voicemail at 559-725-4194.